Unexpected pests on your flowers and plants can be stressful if you don't know how to take care of them.
One homeowner recently took to the r/gardening subreddit for help, after discovering a swarm of grasshoppers sitting on their boysenberry plant in their yard.
The homeowner revealed that dozens of insects were hanging onto the fruit plant just inches away from the corn they are growing, which is set to harvest later this summer or fall.
"Should I be concerned?" the homeowner asked, sharing a photo of the grasshoppers. "Never seen so many all together."
Gardening and growing your own food has immense benefits for your wallet and the ecosystem in your backyard. However, some pests, such as grasshoppers, can hurt your harvest if not dealt with right away.
Hundreds of Reddit users quickly offered advice to the homeowner, urging them to kill the insects to prevent further harm to their crops.
"They will eat every last piece of vegetation in your garden if a big enough swarm comes," one user said. "I would recommend you try to kill some now and hopefully their pheromones keep others away."
Others recommended getting rid of the bugs and also supporting local wildlife by installing bird feeders.
Birds are natural predators of grasshoppers and other insects. By hanging feeders in your backyard, homeowners can attract local birds to their lawns and get rid of the pests without having to spray any toxic chemicals.
Experts with the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides have also recommended planting "trap crops" around your vegetation that will grow tall and attract the insects away from your fruits and vegetables.
For that alternative, consider installing native plants. They require less water and maintenance, saving homeowners hundreds of dollars on water bills and fertilizer. These plants also better support local wildlife by attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies that help ensure a healthy ecosystem and thriving food supply.
As the homeowner considers their options to save their plant, hundreds of other Reddit users shared their worries about the swarm of insects.
One user wrote: "You should absolutely be concerned. They're planning."
"Yes, locusts/grasshoppers in large quantities is bad," another said.
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